Banjo E chord (Double C)E major on the 5-string banjo: 4 4 4 6, and 2 more shapes

E chord chart for 5-string banjo in Double C tuning: 4 4 4 6, from the 4th fret, with the short 5th string marked
E (E major) on the 5-string banjo, Double C: 4 4 4 6, string 4 to string 1. Fingers are numbered on the dots; copper marks the root; the green ring on the left is the 5th string, solid when it’s in the chord.

Frets, string 4 to string 1: 4 4 4 6 (from the 4th fret)

  1. String 4 (C): 4th fret, index finger (barre), E
  2. String 3 (G): 4th fret, index finger (barre), B
  3. String 2 (C): 4th fret, index finger (barre), E
  4. String 1 (D): 6th fret, ring finger, G♯
  5. String 5, the short g: open, G, not in the chord

Sounds: E B E G♯  ·  E is E, G♯, B (1 · 3 · 5)

Found in: A major (V), B major (IV), B mixolydian (IV), B dorian (IV), E major (I), E mixolydian (I)

The 5th string: the short g rubs against the G♯ in this shape, a semitone away: some players let it ring, some skip it.

With a capo: on the 4th fret it’s 0 0 0 2 (frets counted from the capo), an open C shape. Spike the 5th string at the 9th fret to keep it in tune with the capo.

Double C tuning: gCGCD, the short 5th string first, then strings 4 to 1.

Hear it in the app ›

The link can’t set the tuning: the app starts in open G. Choose Double C once in its Settings and it remembers.

More E shapes

  1. 8fr1213gG♯EG♯B8 9 8 9
    8fr
  2. 11fr1314gBG♯BE11 13 11 14
    11fr

Other E chords in Double C

EEmE7Em7Emaj7E6Esus4Esus2EdimEaug

Other major chords

GADCBEFB♭E♭F♯C♯A♭

E in other tunings

Open GSawmillOpen DC Tuning

All Double C banjo chords · Printable chart (PDF) · How to tune · The app